Mandela Barnes unseats incumbent Jason Fields in District 11

Community activist Mandela Barnes unseated Rep. Jason Fields (D-Milwaukee) in a race that focused on school vouchers and payday lending regulations.

Fields, an 8-year incumbent, has frustrated some in the Democratic Party for his support of the state program that allows more than 20,000 children to attend private schools, including religious schools at taxpayer expense. Barnes, a former executive director for the interfaith coalition MICAH, campaigned on Fields’ stance of vouchers, as well as Fields’ opposition to capping interest rates for payday lenders, which offer loans that can top 500% in annualized interest.

The pro-voucher American Federation for Children sent out mailers backing Fields and blasting Republicans despit the group’s history of supporting GOP candidates. In all, the group spent over $100,000 in primaries in Milwaukee, but none of the candidates it backed won.

UPDATE: In an interview late Tuesday, Barnes called the night's successes a "progressive sweep," noting that David Riemer defeated Rep. Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) won her race and Milwaukee County Supervisor Nikiya Harris won the primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Spencer Coggs (D-Milwaukee).

"People are disappointed -- they want new leaders," Barnes said.

"We're not going to stand for the attacks, and that's one message that came across," he added. "You have to compromise, but that does not mean we given in and it does not mean we're going to roll over."